Jamaican Patty Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

Whisk the all-purpose flour, ground turmeric, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly combined and the turmeric color is uniform.

Cut in fats

Add the cold cubed butter and optional cold shortening to the flour. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, quickly cut the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Work quickly to keep fats cold.

Add ice water

Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together when squeezed (about 5–7 tablespoons total). Do not overwork.

Form and chill dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk (or two disks), wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). Chilling relaxes gluten and firms the butter.

Roll and shape

After chilling, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces for medium patties. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a circle about 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) in diameter and about 1/8–1/4 inch thick.

Egg wash

Beat the cold egg with 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash. Set aside for brushing just before baking.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, sliced scallions, fresh thyme, and minced scotch bonnet pepper and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Brown the beef

Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Break it up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if the pan is very greasy, leaving a tablespoon in the pan for flavor.

Season and simmer

Stir in the tomato paste, ground allspice, black pepper, and salt. Sprinkle the teaspoon of flour over the mixture and stir to coat — this will help thicken the filling. Pour in 1/4 cup beef or chicken broth, scrape up any browned bits, and simmer until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the mixture is moist but not wet, about 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (more salt, pepper, or heat) as needed. Remove from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature (important so the pastry doesn't get soggy).

Fill pastries

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place one rolled dough circle on the work surface. Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled beef filling onto one half of the circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the border with a little beaten egg wash.

Seal and crimp

Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon. Press the edges together to seal, then crimp with the tines of a fork or fold a decorative rope edge to fully seal and prevent leakage. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Egg wash and vent

Brush the tops of each patty with egg wash for glossy color. Using a small sharp knife, make one or two small slits in the top of each patty to allow steam to escape during baking.

Bake

Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning.

Cool and serve

Remove from oven and let patties rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.